Should I Get a Finnish Lapphund Dog?

Are you thinking about getting a Finnish Lapphund dog? Read all about the Finnish Lapphund to decide if this dog breed is right for you and your family.

The Finnish Lapphund dog breed has many spitz features, complimented by its attractive heavy coat and its intelligence. The Finnish Lapphund is a well-balanced dog breed of athletic build, medium size and excellent temperament. These features have led to this dog breed becoming a very popular pet dog in its native Finland, with growing popularity in many other countries. The Finnish Lapphund’s athleticism and keenness to learn means it is good for the lively family but perhaps not so well-suited to a sedentary way of life. However, while this dog breed does demonstrate some spitz characteristics, it should be stressed that the Finnish Lapphund should not develop into a showy heavy-coated spitz, standing with its tail up all the time, but should be a more primitive dog that should bear some similarities to the rough and tough wolverine.

As a dog breed that has evolved with close ties to people, working with and for people, the Finnish Lapphund’s keenness to live with and please its owners is not surprising. The Finnish Lapphund is a very intelligent dog breed, and this factor must not be overlooked when deciding if this dog breed is suitable for you.

The general good nature of the Finnish Lapphund means it fits well as a family dog, enjoying the company of children, other dogs and even cats. Finnish Lapphunds not socialized with cats at an early age, however, have been known to view the neighbor’s cat as a substitute squirrel and therefore good for the chase.

Finnish Lapphunds make good watchdogs, but not necessarily good guard dogs. This dog breed’s keen hearing and alert nature ensure that it will never miss anything, but the Finnish Lapphund’s friendly nature means that it cannot necessarily be relied upon to protect your property.

The only perhaps unusual trait of the breed is its definite cat-like tendencies, from its fastidiousness about cleaning itself to an independent attitude that can be very challenging at times. Finnish Lapphunds have a very good sense of balance and can walk along narrow edges and jump from a standing start. Finnish Lapphunds also have a habit of lying down in an odd way, lowering the front legs first and then stretching their back legs out behind them, especially as puppies, just like a cat. This dog breed’s attention to cleanliness, washing their paws and then using their paws to wash the face, and also appearing to chew between the pads of the feet and the nails to keep them clean, are all fascinating cat-like behaviors that the Finnish Lapphund exhibits.

As with many intelligent dog breeds, it is important to point out that a good dog is made, not born. A dog with intelligence combined with a touch of independence will be just as clever in learning bad tricks as good ones, and it is up to the owner to ensure that the training and development of his Finnish Lapphund is suitable for the dog breed. One can never start training a Finnish Lapphund too early, and socialization is very important or else you will soon have a robust adolescent Finnish Lapphund on your hands who has not learned any manners or social skills. A bored dog will be a destructive and unruly dog, so take care to ensure that your Finnish Lapphund is well motivated and enjoys a full and varied life. Then you will be justly rewarded with a very honest and loyal companion.

Excerpt from Finnish Lapphund, part of the Comprehensive Owner’s Guide series, with permission from its publisher, Kennel Club Books, a division of BowTie Inc. Purchase Finnish Lapphund here.

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